Wessel, who faces two counts of theft by swindle, a charge that carries a sentence of more than three years in prison, was freed on her own recognizance until her trial on Friday, October 30, 2009, in Ramsey County District Court, the story stated.

According to the story, Wessel was responsible for payroll at Carlson Building Maintenance where she generated more than 127 fraudulent payroll checks for newly terminated employees.

Wessel kept the checks and deposited the money into her personal bank account, stealing $87,771 between 2007 and 2008, the story noted.

According to police, Wessel, who earned a gross salary of $50,000 from Carlson Building Maintenance, deposited $92,245.60 into her bank account in 2007 and $87,172.57 in 2008; there was no money left in the account when police investigated the case.

In March, Wessel''s probation officer told police that she still owed $281,000 of an original $286,000 in restitution for a 2003 conviction with her previous employer, the story added.